Is travelling through Asia on a US passport wise at present?

zubaier

Hi all....

Me and my girl are heading to India via South East asia shortly... Unfortunately (given recent events), she is American... will we get grief from border control people, even locals, if they discover she's a septic??

I'm gettin a bit concerned, especially about southern thailand, where there seems to be an islamic uprising in progress..

However, given that this is a site dedicated to India - what are (American) posters' experiences travelling there on an American passport..?

edwardseco

Thailand is still Buddhist run despite the recent mini jihad. Aside from wandering in those particular affected environments I wouldn't be be concerned. I wouldn't exaggerate such issues. I usually encounter nothing but friendship with exceprion of the rare outrageous tuk tuk driver. Show her some courage on your part..

zubaier

well right now its bad enough for my wife being a yank here in the UK... the US is not exactly flavour of the month, so hence my concern at travelling thru countries which have actually been directly screwed with in recent times..

we went to the indian embassy yesterday to get her visa... mine was fine, on the spot, only 30 quid... (im a kiwi btw)... hers - we had to pay 60 quid, and have to go back and wait for 3 hours again next week... apparently purely coz shes american..

i'm told the americans reciprocate when indians apply for a visa to visit the US.. how f**king petty!!

oldhippie

I have had Iranian and Moslem American friends get hassled in certain SE Asian countries with US passports. India should not be a problem though.

__________________
Too Many Gandus, Too Few Bullets.

Merchant

I'll take my chances with the good people of Asia.

Who is safer?--an American traveling in Asia or an Asian traveling in America?

iyers

Most people in India like America, and I seriously doubt you will see much anti-americanism other than from communists and some muslim extremists (The great religion of peace).

The Europeans on the other hand don't seem to like Americans too much right now, especially with Bush re-elected.

Shaktipalooza

we're heading to india in three months. i'm american and my fiancee is indian. last time i was there was shortly after 9/11. paid a visit to the new delhi mosque during ramadan and wandered through the muslim quarters surrounding with no problems whatsoever. this trip shouldn't be any different.

people can be bigoted everywhere, that can include europeans who are incapable of seperating the person from the country.

i look at it as an immediate and efficient way to judge character if someone decides to hassle me for my nationality. saves you time really.

Travelingbhat

My husband and I are of Indian origin and hold American passports did not have any issues in either of the countries. When people asked us where we were from, we said India sometimes and America sometimes just to see how they reacted. When we said India, we saw the look of recognition - i.e oh they are brown, they look Indian, good that’s where they are from. I.e they could related us to a country based on skin color (all this done by eye contact, smiles, non verbal communication with no prejudice that we could tell).

When we stated we are American, they would have a little bit of confusion as we didn’t match the stereotypical American they envisioned but this statement also elicited nothing negative.

All the other Americans (6) in our group that we met did not mention any negative issues as they were all Caucasian American. I don’t think you should have a problem. After all you are bringing tourist dollars to their country.

monkgonemad

im a us pp holder (self exiled). ive been in-out of asia for nearly fifteen years. i cant vouch for indonesia as of late or pakistan but i travelled to paki in 98 when us was giving the taliban a lot of grief. i had no problems. i also lived and travelled in indonesia post sept11, post bali no problems. even was in morocco last spetember -no problems. the 'worst' encounter i have ever had was an indo bloke (im not a big fan of idle indonesian men anyway) said: oh, usa the world policeman. i had to agree, although it was a bit simplistic.

no one knows who the hell you are -unless you are like the canadians who have an obsession with sewing their flag on everything they own so as not to be taken for a yank -as if a local (esp an indian) has a clue where youre from! :-)

just go. i always tell people straight away -im us.


havent you ever played the game...
your name?!
insert clever name here
sir! where from?
insert country least likely your own here (zaire, uganda)

when youre walking about only a trained eye can give honest appraisal of where people are from. by and large i can , but the guy in the street. never and and if so -on a guess.

edit: india is such a wild mass of humanity anyway in some bizzare way i always felt i 'fit in'. as often as i was singled out as a one man freak show. other times i was payed no mind whatsoever.

wonderwomanusa

I spent three months in India last winter, much of the time in Muslim areas (Bhopal, Lucknow, Hyderabad) and was warmly welcomed.... and did not try to "hide" that I am an American. Many people asked me if they could move to the States and several volunteered to work for me in the USA.

Indians seem to manage to see the distinction between travellers and "the government" quite easily, and they are among the most hospitable people I've ever met.

Go, and have a good time.

monkgonemad

yes, i even recall seeing numerous times on tele that even the most backward countries and many nations hostile to usa -people make distinction between bush nation and travellers.

you wont have any trouble, especially in hkg, sin, malaysia, thailand, lao, cambo and myanmar. indo/paki is dubious, india i dont think should be a problem.

having said that, after we have let down the world and most importantly our own nation by re-electing that lying, smirking shit for brains dry-drunk for another term, maybe the world has good reason to look upon us with a jaundiced eye.

how can 59 million people be so dumb?

Ikuru

Is it wise to go anywhere with a American passport?
No seriously all people Ivé met in asia /thailand/india/japan are like me. That is to say, they do not judge a book buy its cover and they dont care where your from really all they care or know is that you are a tourist, and thats all there is to it. What you have to understand is that Thailand and India is still VERRY far away from the wild west (CNN/Fox News etc etc.) Last time I was there was the weeks right after the Nine elleven and beeing in sweden (litle america) It felt like judgement day. But once I got to Thailand the whole thing was allmost soon fogoten and realy just a piss in the sea. OK you could buy T-shitrts on kho san road with bush bin laden and the towers in the back like some cheesy die hard poster and once in a while some Indian dude would make a joke about how he had seen that bin laden dude on the beach in goa or domething like that, and once in a while you would see the rare american with a canadian flag on his back pack. No worrys mate, the world is not all that judgemental. A goverment and a individuall are not the same, and most of us know so. Avoid wearing a t-shirt saying "I love George W Bush" and You will be fine

__________________
http://www.ikuru.se My art.

seventies'hippy

These days It's probably not who you are or where you're from, but just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Whether it's a suicide bomber on the same bus as you, a lorry on your side of the road or a drunk airline pilot,,,,,,,,,, We're all in the lap of the Gods,,,,,,,,,,,


Happy Travelling

tukat

I have traveled quite a bit in India with an American passport and with and w/o my spouse of Indian origin and never felt unwelcome or unsafe. Indians that are aware of the political situation in USA, tend to agree with Europe that there is something frighteningly wrong with the current US leadership, but they don't seem to judge an individual american by US gov't policy.

What is a septic?

I am a mourning Kerry supporter, and wonder why you called your american "girl" (wife or child?) a septic? Is this a new slang word? Are all Americans evil now because half voted for Bush? Although I personally feel that Bush & those who supported him are idiots, it chills me to think that in Europe, all Americans are now considered "septic."

Have an good & mind expanding trip.

The Gallifreyan

It's rhyming slang:
Septic Tank = Yank.
I hope that clears it up for you.